Rourke To Lose Teeth For Rugby Role

Mickey Rourke is planning to remove his two front teeth so he can realistically portray gap-toothed Welsh rugby ace Gareth Thomas on the big screen.

The actor has signed up to tell the true story of Britain's first openly gay rugby star and is already taking lessons to speak in Thomas' Welsh accent.

And Rourke is reportedly planning to go even further for the role - he will remove his capped front incisors to replicate the sports star's gappy smile, which was the result of a particularly nasty onfield tackle. Thomas' agent, Emanuele Palladino, tells Britain's Daily Express, "Mickey intends to get as close to the character as he can. He is going to get rid of his two front teeth - he will be taking them out." (KD/WNTEX/MJ)